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Question 1

How many appointment positions require approval of the senate?

Answer 1

1200-1400

Question 2

What were some appointment rejection by Congress?

Answer 2

1) 1987 Robert Bork, appointment by Reagan for SC

2) 1999 Ronnie White, appointment by Clinton to federal trial court

Question 3

What percentage of nominees has the senate rejected?

Answer 3

20% from the founding to 2005

Question 4

How many presidential treaties have been rejected by senate?

Answer 4

3 in the last 30 years

Question 5

What is an example of a presidential treaty that did not pass?

Answer 5

2012 (demo) senate rejected Obama’s treaty on the right of the disabled as it could infringe on US sovereignty

Question 6

Example of a divided government having more congressional committees?

Answer 6

Bush was President with a democrat congress. Bush saw 600 investigative hearings with feisty committee chairs like Patrick Leahy

Question 7

What shows the power of congressional committees?

Answer 7

2013 Senate Foreign Relations Committees held a hearing on the Benghazi attack, she resigned.

Question 8

What shows a risk of united government?

Answer 8

Washington post commented that from 2001-2007 the republican congress failed in holding the executive accountable.

Question 9

What is a risk of divided government?

Answer 9

Brian Friel commented that the Republicans under Clinton spent their time trying to make him look bad. Same for Bush and the democrats.

Question 10

What does Clinton’s impeachment trials say about impeachment in practice?

Answer 10

He had two but was acquitted, every democrat sided with him showing that party lines are generally followed.

Question 11

What was a reason that Nixon resigned?

Answer 11

1974 Trials of impeachment made him see that he no longer had a ‘strong enough political base in the Congress’

Question 12

What are three functions of Congress?

Answer 12

1) Representation
2) Scrutiny
3) Legislation

Question 13

What is the negative side of gridlock?

Answer 13

Can show the dysfunctional side of congress. Failure to pass 2014 budget led to a government shutdown of 16 days, affecting over 1 million employees.

Question 14

What is the positive side of gridlock?

Answer 14

It shows healthy congress with checks and balanes. The founding fathers framed the constitution on compromise and not tyranny.

Question 15

Examples of committees?

Answer 15

One for 9/11 and one for Benghazi

Question 16

Example of the power of ‘power of the purse’?

Answer 16

Bush was hindered with education and social security bill as the house wouldn’t give the money. Same for Obama and healthcare.

Question 17

Example showing importance of scrutinising legilisation?

Answer 17

Blocked Clinton’s Health Care Bill in 1993

Question 18

Example of a failing of senate in checking executive?

Answer 18

Failure of Trump’s impeachment showed how split congress was, patisanship has made congress less effective.

Question 19

Example of congress failing in representation?

Answer 19

124 lawmakers identify as an ethnic minority out of 535